People celebrate the Big 6-0 in a variety of ways. Bestselling novelist Paula K. Parker is celebrating her 60th birthday with the release of her new biblical novel, Glory Revealed: Sisters of Lazarus, Book Two. Although the project officially releases on July 19th, Parker is making the novel available to fans now with a special ‘2-for-1’ offer. Fans can pre-order an autographed copy of Glory Revealed, to be shipped on or about the official release date, and also receive a coupon code for a free ebook download in all major ebook formats to enjoy now!
When Parker first introduced the central characters of Mary, Martha and Lazarus in the first volume of the series, Sisters of Lazarus: Beauty Unveiled, (Authentic Media) in September, 2013, she immediately gained a host of celebrity admirers, including Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actress, Roma Downey, the star of the popular network television series, Touched by an Angel and executive producer of the epic, record-breaking mini-series, The Bible.
“Sisters of Lazarus is a fun and meaningful read, offering the best of what biblical fiction provides – a tale built around beloved scriptural figures.” Ms. Downey said. “But Paula Parker goes deeper than just creating an entertaining story featuring Mary and Martha, she explores the eternal question of what it means to be truly beautiful.”
When Parker’s UK-based publisher, Authentic Media, decided to include the novel in its summer ebook promotion, offering the ebook version for just $0.99 for a limited time, word of mouth spread like wildfire, propelling Sisters of Lazarus: Beauty Unveiled onto multiple bestseller lists at several major retailers. The novel reached the #2 spot on both Amazon.com’s “Books – Religion & Spirituality,” and “Kindle eBooks Religion & Inspirational Fiction” categories. The Kindle version climbed to #44 among all Paid Kindle books and the trade paperback edition hit #9 on Amazon’s Bestsellers in Biblical Fiction list. On the same day, Sisters of Lazarus: Beauty Unveiled reached #59 on Apple iTunes’ Paid Books chart, and over at Barnes & Noble the novel cracked the Top 20, peaking at #14 on the retailer’s Top 100 NOOK Books chart.
Now, nearly three years after its initial release, Sisters of Lazarus: Beauty Unveiled is still a perennial favorite of readers of Christian fiction, and remains on Amazon’s Bestseller list in its Biblical Fiction category.
“My original plan was to take Sisters of Lazarus: Beauty Unveiled through Passion Week.” Parker says. “After all, I thought, you can’t write a book about people mentioned in the Gospels without including the central story of the Bible. However, when I finished writing the scene of Mary anointing Jesus, I realized that was where the book needed to end.
“After Beauty Unveiled was released, I frequently received comments from people who had read the book, wanting to know what happened to ‘this’ character or ‘that’ character. When I realized that these readers were invested in the lives of those characters, I knew I needed to finish their story. Although I had never planned to write a series, this is what precisely what happened and Glory Revealed: Sisters of Lazarus, Book Two was born.”
Glory Revealed picks up minutes after the final scene in Beauty Unveiled and follows the events of Passion Week through to the Ascension of Jesus Christ. All of the characters you loved, and those that you hated, from Beauty Unveiled are in it.
Parker’s evocative writing draws readers in, allowing them to feel like a fellow guest sharing the sisters’ wonder at meeting Jesus for the first time, experiencing his transforming power, demonstrated at one of the most astonishing miracles ever recorded, and carries the story through to its astonishing climax.
More than simply a re-telling of a familiar Bible story, Glory Revealed: Sisters of Lazarus, Book Two explores the passion of the Christ through the eyes of Jesus’ closest friends, and most ardent enemies.
“In Glory Revealed Paula K. Parker has woven an intricate tapestry that beautifully depicts a story so often confined to one dimensional charicatures and dry histories,” says author and Bible teacher Barbie Loflin. “Trust me, I use the word ‘tapestry’ deliberately, because the patience, creativity, and attention to detail required to bring life to each thread and combine them to form a greater image, is evident within her writing. From the first pages of Beauty Unveiled, when the sisters argue (like true sisters), all the way through to the penultimate moment in Glory Revealed, the threads weave and circle, binding you within their story, and through that, the story of Christ’s humanity and His Deity. Though I love Jesus with all my heart, I have not cried over the crucifixion since The Passion the the Christ… until now.”
About The Author:
Paula K. Parker is an internationally acclaimed author and playwright. She is a contributor to the New York Times Best Seller, Becoming (Thomas Nelson), co-authored the two-volume Ancient Mysteries Retold series (Authentic Media U.K.) with New York Times best-selling author G.P. Taylor, and her stage adaptations of Jane Austen’s beloved novels, Pride & Prejudice , Sense & Sensibility and EMMA have been performed on stages around the world.
For more information about Paula K.Parker visit her online at: PaulaKParker.com or WordCrafts.net.